Wednesday, December 13, 2006

What the #@$!%#

Word is that Bavasi has done it again.

I almost hate to share this news, but the Washington Post reports that the M's have traded Chris Snelling (victim of the Gorokan Horror) and Emiliano Fruto to the Nationals for...wait for it...Jose Vidro.

Frak.

Jose Vidro was once an excellent second baseman. (Yeah, 'cause we don't have, say, an All-Star young guy manning that position.) That "once," though, was before repeated leg, knee, and ankle injuries, and he hasn't had a standout season since...maybe 2003 if we're generous. Now, the man will turn 32 in 2007, he earns about $8M per year on a contract through 2008 (and according to the Post article, the M's are paying $12M of that).... Frak!!!!!!

If this is Tatonka 2007, we're more screwed today than we were yesterday. This is the second good trade by Jim Bowden in less than a year, so he's rocketing up the GM rankings as we speak.

Bill Bavasi, you suck.

Edit: Hey, guess what? We're giving Vidro a 3rd year guaranteed to convince him to accept the trade. Whoopee!!!

So far, reaction in the ol' blogosphere has the BEST CASE SCENARIO from this bonehead trade being flipping Jose Lopez (to make room for the inferior Vidro at second) for a top-of-rotation starting pitcher.

Two problems with that:1) Marcus Giles was just non-tendered by Atlanta. You can't convince me that picking up Giles as a FA (he's younger, better, and probably no more expensive compared to Vidro, without having to give up talent) wouldn't also fill the "hole" left by trading Lopez2) We're trusting Bavasi to negotiate a winning deal sending Lopez + ??? for a good pitcher?? Muwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Comments:

Un. Freaking. Believable. There is no possible justification for this trade. The Mariners just traded two players who might be a part of the next good Mariners team for a an absolute millstone of a player who the new GM will end up DFAing and eating his salary in May of next year.

This is true, silentpadna...but he's only one of several viable alternatives to the question "how can I fill the void that I might make by trading Jose Lopez." None of those alternatives cost us this much.

I don't hate Vidro. I'll root for him. But this is the second stupid move in a row by Bavasi, apparently both at the Winter Meetings. No matter where we go from here, this was an awful move.

Yeah, I sure wasn't trying to defend the trade. I cannot really see any context where it makes sense - unless Lopez is a major key to a blockbuster and then Vidro is backed up by WB at 2B until then next one comes along. Even then, it's hard to imagine that being the best option available to them.

One thing I do notice is that it sure seems easy (for us net rats) to just pick a guy up, but this ain't the movies. We don't have the ability to force a guy to sign. No "either your signature or your brains are going to be on that contract" at gunpoint conversations...

But on the broader point, I can't make sense of this move without something else being behind it. In isolation, I'm not sure I agree with any single move - other than the signing of Guillen. That one I have no real problem with.

To be sure, there are virtually always hidden/behind-the-scenes considerations for GM decisions that we bloggers/rabid fans are not privy to. However, I reject the premise that we should therefore refrain from questioning what is obviously a bad move.

If Mr. Bavasi wants to defend himself, great. If he pulls off some miraculous moves to save this offseason, even better. I'm primarily a fan, and not a critic or even an armchair GM. But having lived through decades of Mariner front-office incompetence, Bavasi is just the latest plague upon our houses. I'm loathe to give him the "benefit of the doubt" on moves like this...he doesn't even have the credibility of a Pat Gillick, who at least had a Toronto success in his background when he came here.

Seattle has never had a truly competent GM, although at least Woody Woodward made moves that paid off sometimes. We the fans are going to be the ones paying for Bavasi's poor performance, and I suspect it is that above all else that drives the wailing and gnashing of teeth that we've seen the winter moves inspire.

Even if we agree to disagree, though, I appreciate your comments, Padna. It's interesting that whatever the merit of Bavasi's offseason, he sure has kept the Hot Stove, well, hot.